Jammu, A fresh encounter between security forces and terrorists broke out in the higher reaches of Doda district on Tuesday as authorities cornered the NIA, deployed special forces and expanded the search for the perpetrators of the deadly attack on a police patrol. army in Kathua district. from the Jammu region in which five soldiers were killed.
Director General of Police R R Swain rushed to Kathua to supervise the operation in the remote Machedi region.
The hunt for terrorists has been expanded to cover vast areas in Udhampur and Kathua districts, with Special Forces deployed to conduct surgical operations against the ultras, officials said. As operations continued in Kathua, a fresh gunfight broke out in Ghadi forest Bhagwah, located 35 kilometers east of Doda city, following a search and cordon operation based on specific intelligence information about the presence of at least three foreign terrorists.
The clash in Doda came immediately after the ambush of an army patrol party on the rugged Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountain road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, about 150 kilometers from Kathua district headquarters. . The terror attack, which was the fifth in Jammu in a month, led to the death of five soldiers and injuries to as many personnel.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi paid tribute to the fallen soldiers of Uttarakhand - Naib Subedar Anand Singh, Havaldar Kamal Singh, Rifleman Anuj Negi, Naik Vinod Singh and Rifleman Adarsh Negi. conducted a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Pathankot military base in Punjab before his mortal remains were airlifted to his home state for final rites.
A joint cordon and search operation involving the Army, police and CRPF has been launched in multiple areas, supported by air and ground teams equipped with advanced surveillance technology.
Officials said specialized forces were launched from a helicopter to track down the terrorists involved in Monday's shooting. Drones had been pressed into service to assist troops marching into the dense forest. They said search teams were supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as sniffer dogs.
The police chief was accompanied by ADGP, law and order, Vijay Kumar and ADGP, Jammu zone, Anand Jain during the aerial reconnaissance and review meeting held for the ongoing operations, they said.
The scope of the search operation has been expanded to cover large areas in the adjoining districts of Udhampur and Kathua, including Basantgarh, Seoj (a high altitude area in Udhampur) and the upper reaches of Bani, Daggar and Kindli in the district. Kathua. Monday's attack reflected a similar pattern to the Bhimbher Gali-Mendhar terror incident involving an army truck on April 21, 2023, where five soldiers lost their lives.
The terrorists fired at the wheels of the vehicle, followed by bursts of fire at the front and left side.
Authorities have noted an increased presence of foreign militants in the region, and there are ongoing investigations delving into the weaponry and tactics used in the recent attacks. Security forces remain vigilant in their efforts to neutralize the threat posed by these militants. in the Kathua-Udhampur-Doda and Poonch-Rajouri-Reasi belts.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will assist the Jammu and Kashmir police.
A team of NIA officials has been sent to Kathua in the Jammu region to provide all possible support to the police in their investigation, they said and made it clear that the investigation agency has not registered any case to probe the terror attack. President Droupadi Murmu, lamenting the loss of life, described the terrorist attack as a "cowardly act" and called for strong countermeasures.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep anguish over the death of the soldiers and said the armed forces are determined to usher in peace in the region.
Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane said the death of five army personnel will not go unavenged and India will defeat the evil forces behind it.Political parties have expressed concern over the recent spate of terror incidents in J-K, especially in the Jammu region, where militancy was eliminated more than two decades ago.
The Congress said that the Jammu region "becoming the center of terror incidents" reflects the "strategic failure" of the Modi government and demanded that the Center give confidence to the country about the measures it is taking to address the situation.
The opposition party also called for a befitting response from Pakistan following the increasing terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. The incident is alarming, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said and accused the administration of the Union Territory of being lax. with the security situation.
"We have been saying time and again that militancy is a problem in J-K and it cannot be wished away...
"I think the administration in J-K needs to be more alert, I think they are showing quite a lax trend regarding the security situation and hopefully attacks like this will not happen again," he told ideos.
Director General of Police R R Swain rushed to Kathua to supervise the operation in the remote Machedi region.
The hunt for terrorists has been expanded to cover vast areas in Udhampur and Kathua districts, with Special Forces deployed to conduct surgical operations against the ultras, officials said. As operations continued in Kathua, a fresh gunfight broke out in Ghadi forest Bhagwah, located 35 kilometers east of Doda city, following a search and cordon operation based on specific intelligence information about the presence of at least three foreign terrorists.
The clash in Doda came immediately after the ambush of an army patrol party on the rugged Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountain road near Badnota village in Lohai Malhar, about 150 kilometers from Kathua district headquarters. . The terror attack, which was the fifth in Jammu in a month, led to the death of five soldiers and injuries to as many personnel.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi paid tribute to the fallen soldiers of Uttarakhand - Naib Subedar Anand Singh, Havaldar Kamal Singh, Rifleman Anuj Negi, Naik Vinod Singh and Rifleman Adarsh Negi. conducted a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Pathankot military base in Punjab before his mortal remains were airlifted to his home state for final rites.
A joint cordon and search operation involving the Army, police and CRPF has been launched in multiple areas, supported by air and ground teams equipped with advanced surveillance technology.
Officials said specialized forces were launched from a helicopter to track down the terrorists involved in Monday's shooting. Drones had been pressed into service to assist troops marching into the dense forest. They said search teams were supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as sniffer dogs.
The police chief was accompanied by ADGP, law and order, Vijay Kumar and ADGP, Jammu zone, Anand Jain during the aerial reconnaissance and review meeting held for the ongoing operations, they said.
The scope of the search operation has been expanded to cover large areas in the adjoining districts of Udhampur and Kathua, including Basantgarh, Seoj (a high altitude area in Udhampur) and the upper reaches of Bani, Daggar and Kindli in the district. Kathua. Monday's attack reflected a similar pattern to the Bhimbher Gali-Mendhar terror incident involving an army truck on April 21, 2023, where five soldiers lost their lives.
The terrorists fired at the wheels of the vehicle, followed by bursts of fire at the front and left side.
Authorities have noted an increased presence of foreign militants in the region, and there are ongoing investigations delving into the weaponry and tactics used in the recent attacks. Security forces remain vigilant in their efforts to neutralize the threat posed by these militants. in the Kathua-Udhampur-Doda and Poonch-Rajouri-Reasi belts.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will assist the Jammu and Kashmir police.
A team of NIA officials has been sent to Kathua in the Jammu region to provide all possible support to the police in their investigation, they said and made it clear that the investigation agency has not registered any case to probe the terror attack. President Droupadi Murmu, lamenting the loss of life, described the terrorist attack as a "cowardly act" and called for strong countermeasures.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep anguish over the death of the soldiers and said the armed forces are determined to usher in peace in the region.
Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane said the death of five army personnel will not go unavenged and India will defeat the evil forces behind it.Political parties have expressed concern over the recent spate of terror incidents in J-K, especially in the Jammu region, where militancy was eliminated more than two decades ago.
The Congress said that the Jammu region "becoming the center of terror incidents" reflects the "strategic failure" of the Modi government and demanded that the Center give confidence to the country about the measures it is taking to address the situation.
The opposition party also called for a befitting response from Pakistan following the increasing terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. The incident is alarming, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said and accused the administration of the Union Territory of being lax. with the security situation.
"We have been saying time and again that militancy is a problem in J-K and it cannot be wished away...
"I think the administration in J-K needs to be more alert, I think they are showing quite a lax trend regarding the security situation and hopefully attacks like this will not happen again," he told ideos.
